This invention relates generally to pen-based computing systems, and more particularly to customer authoring tools for creating user-generated content for smart pen applications.
The growth and success of new media and new computing platforms is driven by tools. Important factors include the quality and usability of the tools and the uniqueness of the tools' ability to shape the new media and platforms. Often, people apply old tools that do not work well with the new media and platforms. Best practices become embedded in tools. For example, a tool may set rules about how much audio can be played without user interaction before users tend to lose interest and focus.
User-generated content (UGC) is proliferating. For example, see YouTube, Wikipedia, reality TV, blogs, and podcasts. Drivers for UGC are self-expression, expertise, relevance, personal exposure, community, income, entertainment, and sharing. Proliferation of UGC is driven by new means of distribution. Tools that facilitate distribution are driving the proliferation of UGC.
There are nascent tools supporting simple content production for paper/ink digital systems, which include tablet PCs, printers, scanners, cameras, faxes, pen-based input/output devices, copiers, audio recorders, etc. Good tools enable individuals with specific domain expertise to create great content, but accessibility of tools for new media is evolving. Typically, content is shared among groups or subgroups. Good tools do not feel like tools; they let creators focus on the content. There are new media platforms that require an entirely new way of thinking about tools. There are tools for emulating mixed media systems, but not many, and they are very limited in their abilities. New media and systems with inadequate tools have failed. Some of the causes for past failures include: the requirement of engineers to develop the content, limited distribution of the content, and expensive or inadequate quality assurance for the content.
Pen-based computing is personal, and thus creates the need for personal and customizable tools. People have tried to adapt mass market authoring tools to the pen-based platform, but it hasn't worked well because pen-based computing is based on a different paradigm from desktop computing. There are no tools available for a pen-based medium that use the pen for creating content for use on the pen or to be subsequently shared with other users of the platform. There are no tools that enable end users to create content and stand-alone applications that can run on smart pens. There are no tools that allow users to manage unique aspects of the new medium, such as dotted paper, printing, and pattern management. There are no tools that enable the creation of content and applications that straddle the worlds of smart pens and personal computers. Finally, there are no tools that allow content creators to emulate and test their content in a simulated or real environment.
Accordingly, there is a need for tools for users to create content for use in smart pen applications.